Impossible Love
by Winter Daze
Summary: [Ch. 4 up!] Alternate universe fic revolving around the frustrated love between a Princess and a commoner boy. With love, lust, lies, and heartbreak, what's a girl to do?
1. Introduction: The Girl

**Impossible Love**

_This is the revised version of a fic I wrote about two years ago (check my profile if you want to see the original, but I warn you, it's horrid!)_

_This is an Alternate Universe Zelda fanfiction, revolving around the frustrated love between a Princess and a mere commoner. With love, lust, lies, and heartbreak, what's a girl to do?_

--------------------

Introduction  
The Girl

--------------------

Zelda was probably the most beautiful girl in the Kingdom. "And well she should be!" was a common utterance from Madame Loraine, for Zelda was not only a beautiful girl, but a princess. Princess Zelda Madeleine Harkinian IV. The only child and heir of the King and Queen. It was a mystery to the common folk of the kingdom; why did the King and Queen only have one child? Some said that they could not conceive naturally, and Zelda had been a miracle, but others were doubtful.

In any case, Zelda was truly the Delight of the Kingdom's Eyes. Her honey-colored hair fell well past her shoulders, and her blue eyes were large and gentle. Her skin was milky white, no doubt thanks to her seclusion from the sun. Madame Loraine, Zelda's teacher in Proper Etiquette for a Princess, had made sure that Zelda spent as little time as possible in the outdoors. As a child, though, Zelda often went against her wishes to bask in the sunlight on a bright spring day. Flower buds and trees were her favorite things in the world.

But currently, the princess's sapphire eyes were downcast. She sat on the window-seat in her room, staring through the tainted glass. The sky was bleak and grey, threatening to spill into rainfall at any minute.

Zelda scanned the Kingdom below her. Her room was situated in one of the high towers, so she could see well over the castle walls to the village below. Her eyes darted back and forth, watching smoke rise from humble chimneys, and horse-driven carriages bumping along the paved roads...

"Princess?" came a small voice from the doorway. Zelda turned her head away from the window and looked to the speaker. It was a mousey servant-girl, no older than Zelda herself. "The King wishes to speak with you."

"Alright, thank-you," Zelda started, standing up.

"The King is in his Royal Study," the servant offered, moving to let Zelda pass through the doorway. "Do you want me to accompany you?"

Zelda flashed a smile and shook her head. "No, I'll be alright." The servant girl curtsied, and went on her way, leaving Zelda to herself. Zelda turned to the left and started down the hallway, heading for her father's study. When she reached the door, she made sure her dress was smooth and her hair was straight before she went in.

"Zelda, darling!" King Harkinian exclaimed brightly once he saw her. "Come, come, quickly! I have some important news, do sit down. Would you like me to send for some cakes to eat?" The King truly spoiled his baby girl.

Zelda grinned, sitting onto a plush chair. "No thank-you, daddy," she replied. Though she was growing into a fine young lady at nearly 18, she still referred to her father as 'daddy', like a child would. "I'm not very hungry yet. I would like some cakes after dinner though." She gave her father another bright smile.

The King nodded. "Of course. I'll be sure to send for some after dinner. Yes." He nodded, and paused. Then he shook his head suddenly, as if remembering something. "Oh, that's right, never mind that, I almost forgot the reason I sent for you. Your mother and I will not be able to join you for supper, we are busy making plans to visit the Royal Family of Polis." He clasped his hands together and continued. "It's really important! We are in the midst of planning something with Polis. We hope to join our borders and make a larger, wealthier kingdom than anybody's ever dreamed of! It will be brilliant!" He went on in this manner, congratulating himself, and he didn't see his daughter's expression.

Of course, she was happy that her father was happy, but at what price? She very rarely got to see her parents anyway, and if they began some foreign affair, she might never see them at all! For all the love and gifts her father showered on her, he forgot to just be _with_ her. As a baby, he had missed both her first steps and her first words. Zelda knew, of course, that he and the Queen loved her dearly, but it seemed at times that they left the parenting to the servants.

"That's wonderful, daddy," Zelda commented, forcing a smile. "But will you be at supper tomorrow?"

The King shook his head. "I'm sorry, honey, but we plan on visiting Polis as soon as possible. It's a long journey, so we may have to begin as early as tomorrow." He winked at his daughter. "But that just means that you can spend more time with Madame Loraine, and eat cakes! Wouldn't you like that, darling?"

Zelda's fake smile remained plastered to her face. "Oh, yes daddy. Wonderful!" Fortunately, the King did not notice she had said that through gritted teeth.

--------------------

Back inside her own room, Zelda threw herself onto her bed. With her face buried into her pink pillows, she let out a loud moan. It was more of a grunt, really, but that's beside the point.

Spend more time with Madame Loraine? That was possibly the worst thing Zelda could think of! Madame Loraine was one of the most disagreeable people ever. She was Zelda's teacher of etiquette, and seemed to have the notion that a Proper Princess shouldn't do _anything_ outside of embroidering, sitting prettily, and smiling. And Zelda couldn't embroider to save her life, so she basically had to sit and smile.

She couldn't clean anything, for she might get dirty and dusty. She couldn't learn how to ride a horse, for that was meant for the princes and knights. She must not run, for she might fall. She may not learn to cook, because that's what servants are for. She cannot partake in physical labor, for she might strain herself. She should not stay outside for prolonged periods of time, for she might get sunburned, or catch a cold, or get lost.

Too many rules! Zelda had almost fainted the first time she heard Madame Loraine list off these things, but that would have been okay, since Madame Loraine believes a proper princess should learn to faint on cue. Why? Zelda didn't know, nor did she care to find out.

Madame Loraine made life an absolute dreary thing. There were times that Zelda wished that she were a commoner, living in the sunny village around the Castle. Everybody would know her, and she'd be happy as a bluebird. But whenever she had thoughts like this, she quickly dismissed them.

Not today, however.

Zelda sat up in her bed slowly as thoughts rushed about in her mind.

If she were a commoner...then her parents would always be around. They wouldn't have faraway business matters or responsibilities. And she wouldn't need Madame Loraine to tell her what not to do! Oh, that would be amazing.

Zelda smiled scornfully, thinking of all the commoners that must be dying to be in her place, and here she was, dying to be in theirs! Oh, the irony...

"If only," she sighed. She stood up, off the bed, and sat at her vanity. She picked up her opalescent hairbrush, raising it to her head and brushing her golden locks in methodical motions. She always brushed her hair when she was upset, it was a sort of habit.

She looked to the window, her hairbrush still running through her hair. The sky had darkened since she last saw, the grey clouds blotting out the sun.

A bell sounded from faraway. It was the clocktower, located in the main castle courtyard. There were six chimes, signaling the arrival of 6 o'clock and dinnertime. Zelda placed her hairbrush back on the vanity, and stood up. She was in no rush to reach the dining hall; she knew that her parents would be absent.

Well, at least she knew that they would be absent. Zelda couldn't recall how many times she had arrived at the dining hall, only to find her parents were nowhere to be seen, and she would have to dine alone with the Lords and Ladies chatting amongst themselves down the table.

Oh well.

--------------------

To Be Continued...

--------------------

_Okay! I hope this wasn't too confusing. The Introduction portion of this story is actually three chapters long. It was too big to fit into one chapter! XD (I don't like _super_ long chapters). So by the time chapter 4 rolls around, this will getting more exciting (hopefully!) Actually, of the three introduction chapters, this is the shortest. So the chapters will be longer in the future!_

Next Chapter: The Plan


	2. Introduction: The Plan

**Impossible Love**

--------------------

Introduction  
The Plan

--------------------

"Good-bye, Daddy! Bye, Mom!" Zelda exclaimed, giving each a warm hug. "Stay safe, and have fun in Polis." They were currently outside the castle, standing by the royal carriage the King and Queen would take to Polis.

King Harkinian smiled at his daughter, and the Queen kissed her forehead. "We'll be home soon, Zelda, now go inside the castle! It's going to rain soon," she said. Unlike the King, the Queen was a very proper person, and sided with Madame Loraine on a lot of issues. "You may catch cold, dear."

Zelda nodded grimly, and, giving each of her parents one last hug, she hurried off to re-enter the castle. Her mother was right, the grey clouds that filled the sky the other day had only gotten darker and thicker. The wind had picked up a little, as well. From safe inside the castle walls, Zelda watched through a window as her parents boarded the carriage and set off for Polis, accompanied by knights riding horseback. Once they had left the castle grounds and the gates closed behind them, Zelda turned around and walked away from the window.

She didn't know why, but her eyes stung with tears threatening to spill over. Not because she missed her parents already, though she did, but because she couldn't stop thinking about her revelations last night. If she had only been born as a regular person, her parents would never have to leave. She wouldn't be locked up in this castle, and she certainly wouldn't have to deal with--

"Princes Zelda Madeleine Harkinian IV!"

--Madame Loraine. Zelda sighed, turning to view the speaker. There was Madame Loraine, flustered and rosy-cheeked as if she had just been running through a blizzard. Everything else about her countenance was perfect, however, from the way her dark hair was pulled back tight, to the way her scarlet dress fit over her rather round body.

"Princess Zelda," Madame Loraine repeated. "Where have you been! I've been looking all over for you."

Zelda furrowed her brows in confusion. "I was seeing my parents off, Madame. Why were you looking for me? Our lesson isn't for another hour!"

Madame Loraine smoothed down her dress and looked down her nose at Zelda. "Princess, don't ask such petty questions, it isn't proper to ask questions like a child. If it were important for you to know, would I have told you? Would I? Answer me."

"Yes, Madame Loraine," Zelda stated, forcing a slight bow of the head.

"Very good," Madame Loraine nodded. "Now, I will tell you. I sought you because I regret to say that I cannot teach you today." She closed her eyes dramatically, as if being away from Zelda pained her somehow. "I apologize for the inconvenience, my Lady, but you will have to do without your etiquette lessons for the day. I expect you to practice what you've learned thus far, however."

"Why can't you teach me today?" Zelda asked, excited at the prospect.

Madame Loraine's eyebrow twitched at this question, but she said, "Because I'm need elsewhere."

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Zelda turned her attention to the nearby window. Madame Loraine took this opportunity to bid Zelda adieu, and left. Once the teacher had gone, Zelda turned towards the Master Staircase and began to ascend. About halfway up the red-carpeted stairs, it began raining and Zelda could hear the pitter-patter on the roof. It started gently, but soon fell harder. When she reached the top of the staircase, thunder clapped very close by, startling Zelda and causing her to nearly lose her footing on the edge of the stairs. She caught herself, though, and continued on her way.

She reached her bedroom, closing the door behind her. "Oh!" she exclaimed, seeing that she had left her window open. Rain was pouring in, soaking everything in its vicinity. She quickly ran to the window, pulling it shut and latching it. She sighed, picking up the things that got wet. Her books were sopping, and she feared the ink would start to run. Her embroidery practice was ruined (truthfully though, she wasn't one bit sorry for the loss), and her carpet squelched under her feet. "What a mess," she muttered, spreading things out so they would dry. She passed by the vanity and glanced at her reflection in the mirror. She had to laugh in spite of herself.

While trying to get the window closed, she had gotten herself wet. She'd noticed it, but was more preoccupied with the other things. Now that she saw herself, it was funny. The hair framing her face was wet and stringy, and the whole front of her dress seemed thin and clung to her body. She could see her underclothes.

It all reminded her of a story she had read when she was little. It was about a beggar's daughter, and she found herself caught in a rainstorm. It was a peasant child's story, as Madame Loraine had said, and she was appalled when she found out that Zelda enjoyed it.

'A beggar's daughter,' Zelda thought, squinting at her reflection in the mirror. The dress was too fancy to pass for a beggar's, but Zelda didn't think of this as she smiled to herself. "I look like a commoner," she laughed.

Then an idea struck her.

Why not? She could get rattier clothes, mess them up a bit, muss her hair, and _voila!_ She'd look like a commoner! It all seemed so simple in Zelda's mind, she didn't think to run through all the possible mishaps she could encounter.

Zelda never thought about the consequences of her actions. She was wont to leap without looking, so to speak. And once she got an idea into her head, it took a reasonable amount of force to make her believe otherwise.

She stared at her reflection for a moment, before nodding fervently. She would do it! It certainly wouldn't be hard to pass for a commoner, would it?

She slipped off her wet dress, and laid it on the bedside to dry, even though it was probably ruined. She went to her wardrobe and looked about. What would a commoner wear? she wondered. She looked through all the dresses present, but the least fancy thing she found was a mint green garment with a bow in the back and a bold, golden pattern embroidered all across the bottom, trailing up the left side. That wouldn't do, it would stand out too much. She wanted to be as inconspicuous as possible. She sighed, closing the wardrobe. She didn't even bother looking in her gown closet; everything in there was designed to draw attention, and that was not what she wanted.

She sat at her vanity for a moment, wondering what to do. She'd be heartbroken if her plan was busted before it even started! But suddenly, an idea popped into her head. She went to her wardrobe again and picked out the mint green dress, slipped it on, and went to leave her room. She paused at the door, though, then turned back and rummaged through her shelf to find a pair of shoes to wear as well. She decided on a black pair; they were her only shoes that didn't have heels, which is why she chose them.

She ran her fingers through her wet hair. Then, taking a clip, she pinned her hair back, just in case anybody recognized her with her locks flowing freely (like she always wore it in public). Then, satisfied, she left her room.

Though she remembered to close the door behind her, in case Madame Loraine walked by and saw all the wet books and embroidery.

--------------------

Zelda had crept down the staircase. Nobody should suspect what she was up to, but her conscience made her jump at every glance, wondering if somebody would spoil her fun and punish her.

She passed by the main courtyard and looked out the window to view the clocktower. It was just half past 11 in the morning. The maids should all be at their lunch by now. Maids ate their lunch at 11 o'clock. If she timed everything right, Zelda would be able to sneak into the maid's quarters and then back out with none the wiser.

Thunder rumbled in the distance. Zelda glanced out the window again; the rain might let up soon. It was probably crazy to try this stunt in the rain, but she figured it would be her best cover. Plus, what other chance would she have? She was lucky to have gotten out of her etiquette lessons for the day.

Zelda looked up and down the hallway. Nobody in sight. Smiling to herself, she hurried over to the maid's quarters and opened up the supply closet. She snatched an apron from the hooks and closed the closet quickly. Clutching the apron, she rushed back into the hallway. Success!

Zelda held the apron out in front of her and examined it. It had a stain in the corner, but was otherwise spotless. She smiled triumphantly. It was off-white in color and had a strap that reached around the neck. It would cover her chest and the bottom part of her mint green dress. It tied in the back and that would hopefully camouflage the dress's bow. She was about to slip it on, when a voice behind her startled her.

"What are you doing?"

Zelda nearly jumped out of her skin and whipped around to view whoever it was. She sighed in relief when she found it was a young servant boy. Just barely fourteen years old, if that.

"Nothing, nothing," Zelda breathed, holding the apron closer to her body.

The boy raised an eyebrow, but didn't seem to recognize the princess. "Are you a maid? Why aren't you eating lunch?"

Zelda grinned, shaking her head. "I'm not a maid, actually." She looked at him. "But what are you doing here?" she questioned.

The boy blushed and looked to his feet. "Oh, nothing, I was just...coming to see somebody, that's all." He looked down the hallway. "Actually I've got to go now...I'll see you around, I guess," he murmured, turning to walk down the hallway. Zelda smiled as he left, wondering what young maid had caught the boy's fancy.

She thought to herself for a moment. She didn't recall ever having a crush on anybody. She never thought about that before. Would she ever find anybody special? She walked down the hallway.

She made her way down to the main staircase without any further interruptions. She paused as she saw a few guards milling about the front entrance. She'd never be able to pass them. She rolled the apron up into a ball and tucked it under her arm as she turned around and went back the way she came.

Zeldamade it to the easternmost portion of the castle, and descended a flight of stairs. She would escape through the stable which was connected to the castle. Once she came in view of the stable entrance, two large wooden doors, she glanced around. No guards. They must have been on break or eating lunch. She walked to the doors and pushed them open, stepping out into the stable.

She closed the wooden doors behind her, and stepped around the stacks of hay. She had learned the hard way that she was allergic to hay. Madame Loraine had a hissy fit when Zelda appeared to her one day with hives all over her arms and crying about wanting to see the horses.

Zelda walked to the edge of the stable. Looking around, she saw that the rain had let up slightly, but was still pouring. The sky was grey, but with a slight yellow tint. The closest guards were all the way at the castle gate; and none of them were looking in her direction.

'It's now or never,' Zelda thought with excitement, dashing into the open. The portion of the castle wall nearest to her had a trellis with fragrant jasmine twining up it. Zelda was positive that she could climb it. She made her way to the trellis and started to climb. It was slippery, so Zelda gripped it with her hands tighter than she needed to. She almost fell, close to the top, but the rest of the way was easy. She made it to the top of the castle wall and closed her eyes and jumped over.

It wasn't a very long fall, and the ground was muddy and soft. She stood up and congratulated herself for the successful escape. Her dress was muddy, but that was okay. She continued walking, trying to stay unseen by the guards near the castle. Once she was far enough away, she ventured onto the main road. It was cobblestone and Zelda tripped a few times. She made it to the village outskirts, and Zelda breathed in at the sight. The buildings each had a yard of space between them, and the lights inside their windows were on. Smoke puffed out of a few chimneys. It was all very homely, and Zelda had never been here unattended before. Each time she came here, it was during a parade, and all the people crowded the streets to get a glimpse of the Royal Family.

Thunder cracked loudly nearby and Zelda yelped, bringing her hands to her face. She hadn't noticed it, but it had gradually gotten darker since she left the castle, and the rain was coming down harder.

She whimpered, suddenly realizing something. She was afraid of thunder! She had never been outside in a rainstorm before, and without the comfort of a roof over her, thunder seemed like a very scary thing! She turned around to go back to the castle, but another thunder clap made her switch directions and run for some nearby shelter. The closest she saw was an awning over a building doorway, so she went for it. Unfortunately, the cobblestones were a bit too rough and she tripped, falling headfirst into a sort of muddy quagmire.

She gasped and sputtered, trying to get out of the mud, but she slipped and landed in it again. She cried out, spitting out mud and wiping it from her eyes.

'Oh, what a stupid, naughty girl I've been!' she thought to herself dejectedly. 'I should have waited for sunny weather, at least.'

Zelda tried standing up, getting herself out of the mud. She slipped backwards, landing on the cobblestone road. There was a sharp pain as her head hit a stone, and the last thing she saw was a person running towards her.

Then she saw nothing at all.

--------------------

To Be Continued...

--------------------

_Alrighty. I had to cut this chapter in half! It was originally 9 pages, and that's a little much. It's still 6! xx Ehh, anyway. Link appears in the next chapter! ((dances))_

Next Chapter: The Boy


	3. Introduction: The Boy

**Impossible Love**

_Sorry for the delay!_

--------------------

Introduction  
The Boy

--------------------

There was a dull, throbbing pain in the back of her head. Zelda moaned and strained to open her eyes. Where was she? Her vision was blurry at first, so she blinked a few times to see clearly.

She was currently laying on a bed in a strange room; it was not as soft as her own bed, but it was still comfortable. The room was small, with beige walls. There was a small shelf next to the bed, with a window above it. It was still raining outside. There was a closet on the other side of the room, and a door was next to it.

A woman appeared in the doorway. "Oh, you're awake!" she exclaimed happily. It was an older woman with white-blonde hair, pulled back into a messy bun with loose strands framing her face. "Are you alright?" she asked, walking up to the bedside.

"I'm fine," Zelda said. "What happened?"

The woman smiled, kneeling next to the bed. "Well, I'm not sure! You'll have to ask my son. All I know is that he burst in, carrying you, and said that you'd hit your head. What were you doing outside in a downpour like this?"

Zelda hesitated, and tried to avoid the question. "I only remember falling," she stated. "I don't recall anything after that." She was about to sit up, when she blushed and realized that she was clad in only her underwear! She hugged the light green blanket to her body in embarrassment.

The woman noticed and laughed. "Oh, I couldn't have you stay in those wet clothes, you know. You were soaked to the bone!" She produced an orange dress. "You can change into this, dear. It's not as fancy as that green dress you were wearing, but at least it's dry. I'm sad to say that your other dress was ruined; it didn't seem to handle the wet very well." Zelda took the new garment gratefully. "Well," the woman continued, standing up. "When you finish changing, come on downstairs if you feel up to it." She smiled and left, closing the door behind her.

Zelda got out of bed and slipped the orange dress on. It had long sleeves and a V-shaped neckline, revealing her collarbone. The bottom of the skirt flowed outward and stopped at her knees. It was a little big for her, but it was comfortable enough. Zelda looked around to find a mirror to check her appearance in; she was shocked when she found none! She looked around the room more carefully; the colors and items inside were very boyish. Was she in a boy's room? Zelda felt her face get hot as she thought about the possibility she had been in a boy's bed in her underwear!

She quickly shook these thoughts out of her mind as she walked to the door. She stepped out of the room and found herself in a tiny hallway. The floor was made of wood, and it was cold under her bare feet. The hallway itself had three doorways, including the one she had just walked out of. Peeking into the other two rooms, Zelda saw they were all bedrooms. She wondered where the living and bathing rooms were located. She looked at the floor and saw that her black shoes were close by. They were pretty dry, so she slipped them onto her feet.

At the end of the hallway was a staircase. She walked onto it, holding the banister as she descended (her knees ached, probably from when she landed on the cobblestone street). Reaching the bottom, she looked around. It looked like she was in a tavern. The floor was bare, with tables and chairs scattered about. Adjacent to the stairway was a long counter; it looked like a bar. There was a doorway behind it, and a person walked through it.

It was a boy, maybe only one or two years older than Zelda. His skin was tanned, no doubt from working in the sun; Zelda's own skin looked pearly white in comparison. The boy's hair was blonde, a lighter shade than Zelda's own honey-colored locks. His eyes were a brilliant blue, and they were currently looking at her in surprise.

"Oh, girl!" he said, walking towards her. "You're awake! Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Zelda said, smiling at him.

"Are you sure? That was a pretty hard fall you took."

"Oh," said Zelda. "Are you the boy that found me? Thank-you for taking care of me."

The boy smiled and blushed. "You're welcome. But you don't need to curtsey to me."

Zelda blushed as well. She didn't realize she had curtsied! It was just a habit that Madame Loraine had instilled in her.

"My name is Link, by the way," the boy said.

"Pleased to meet you. I'm..." Zelda hesitated. She certainly couldn't tell him that she was the princess! What would she say her name was?

Link noticed her pause. "Are you alright?" he asked. "The fall didn't cause you to forget your name, did it?" He reached a hand up to feel her forehead.

Zelda blushed at the feel of his hand. "No, no," she murmured, shaking her head. "I'm just...I'm hungry, that's all."

Link nodded. "Oh, of course," he said. "I'm sorry, sit down, I'll get you a bowl of soup!" Before she had a chance to respond, Link had already disappeared in the doorway behind the bar.

Zelda sat down on a stool by the bar and looked around the room again. But she didn't have much time to herself, for another person came out of the doorway. It was the older woman again. "Oh, you're up and around, that's good!" she exclaimed, holding a bowl of soup. She placed it in front of Zelda. It was a brothy soup with meat and various vegetables. The woman handed Zelda a spoon.

"Thank-you," she said. She must have slept through her regular lunchtime, because she was very hungry now. "How long was I unconscious?" Zelda asked, blowing a spoonful of the soup to cool it.

"Oh, let's see...Link brought you in at about lunchtime, so...I'd say a couple hours, or so." She shrugged and leaned over the bar as Zelda ate. "Well, do you feel up to telling your story?" When Zelda looked at her in confusion, she smiled and added, "I mean, the reason you were outside in the storm. What's your name?"

Zelda swallowed another spoonful. "Oh, I was..." She hesitated again. She mentally kicked herself for not coming up with a decent backstory. "I was just coming to buy produce," she said slowly. The ideas formed in her head as she spoke. "I work in the castle. I'm a cook, and we were running low on supplies, so I came to buy some more...ah, potatoes and the like." She nodded fervently. "That's it."

The woman nodded, believing the story. "I see." She sighed. "But why in the middle of a rainstorm, dear? If Link hadn't seen you fall, you might've been unconscious outside for a while!"

Zelda blushed. "Oh, well...I guess I just didn't think about that," she muttered. "Did you make this soup?" she asked, attempting to change the subject. "It's very good."

--------------------

"Do you think she's cute?"

Link felt his face get hot as he whipped around to view the speaker. It was his little sister, Aryll. 1 Her eyes shone up at him with delight, and her hair was messy and falling out of its pigtails.

"What do you care, Aryll?" Link asked. "Go away."

Aryll giggled. "Do you think she's pretty?" she repeated. This aggravated her brother, and he swatted a towel in her direction. "You do!" Aryll exclaimed. "Or else you wouldn't be here in the kitchen, you'd be out there with mom! You're embarrassed!" She shrieked in delight as her brother made to grab her. He missed and she retreated to another corner of the kitchen.

Link and his mother ran the town's Tavern, the latter doing most of the cooking. Aryll tried to help, but oftentimes only made a mess of things. The family of three lived on the second floor, and the tavern itself was on the ground level. It consisted of only the main room (where his mother and the blonde stranger were in currently) and the kitchen. The door to the kitchen was behind the bar, and the supply closet was underneath the stairway. Inside the kitchen, the icebox was on the right side of the door and the pantry was next to that. The stove and counters were on the opposite wall, with cupboards over them. A table was situated in the middle of the room, and that was where the family had their own meals.

Aryll was currently sitting in the back corner of the room, next to the stove. The backdoor leading outside was next to her. She made faces at Link. Finding the fun in that gone, she stood up and looked out the backdoor. The rain still hadn't let up, so she took to pouting.

Link, ignoring his sister's antics, was wondering if he should go back out to the main room. He had only come in here to fetch the mysterious girl some soup, but since his mother did that for him, he didn't know what to do. He didn't want to just go out there for no reason, but he wanted to find out more about the strange girl.

He sighed, finding his hesitation silly, and went to fill a glass with water. He checked the pot of soup on the stove, bubbling happily, then went to exit the kitchen.

"...but it wasn't very difficult," his mother was saying. When Link entered she turned to him and smiled. "Oh, there he is now!" She waved him over and kissed him on the forehead. "Ever since his father died, he's been helping me out so much."

Link blushed at his mother's actions as he set the glass down in front of the girl. "What are you talking about, Mom?"

His mother smiled and said, "Oh, I was just telling Zelda here a little bit about you." She winked.

"Zelda?" Link asked, looking to the golden haired girl. "Were you named after a member of the royal family?"

Zelda smiled and nodded. "Yes," she said simply. Truthfully, she was. After Zelda Madeleine Harkinian the first, of course, but Link and his mother knew none of this.

"Oh, she told me she was a royal cook!" the older woman bubbled. "Isn't that fascinating, Link?" The boy nodded. "Do you see the King and Queen often?" his mother asked.

Zelda shook her head sadly. "No, actually I don't." She sighed slightly; apparently this topic was unwelcome in Zelda's mind, so Link's mom changed the subject.

"Oh, do you have a husband?" she asked. Zelda shook her head. "Well, Link here doesn't have a wife!" She laughed merrily. "Have you two taken a fancy to each other yet?"

The two younger people turned crimson. "Mom!" Link complained. "What are you saying? That's...that's impolite! To Zelda."

"Oh, I'm sorry sweetie, but I want grandchildren now!" She poked her son in the ribs. "When will you settle down, eh?" She laughed again, but Link didn't seem to find it funny. Zelda giggled at this spectacle.

"I'm sure your son will find a girl soon, Mrs... " Zelda started.

"Oh, you can just call me Blessy. Do you really think Link here will find a wife soon?" The woman laughed once more and pinched her son's scarlet cheeks. "Oh, you know I'm only teasing, honey," she said with a smile. Link rolled his eyes but a smile played at the corners of his lips.

Zelda grinned watching them. But it made her think. When would she find herself a husband? She didn't meet any suitable men in the castle (not that Madame Loraine would condone a princess marrying a servant anyway), and she had never been in love. What was it like? She'd need a husband to be King when her parents died.

"My, look!" came Blessy's voice, interrupting Zelda's thoughts. Blessy pointed to the windows on the far side of the room. "Seems as if the rain's let up. That was a good shower, the air's been so dry lately. Oh, Zelda, have you finished your soup?" She looked at the younger girl's empty bowl and took it. "Would you like some more?" After a polite decline, Blessy took the bowl to the kitchen to be washed, leaving Link and Zelda alone.

"The sun's come out," Link said simply, walking around the counter and looking out the window. He turned to Zelda. "Are you feeling better? Or would you like to stay a bit longer?"

Zelda came to stand close beside him and looked out the window as well. "I suppose I've been out long enough," she said. She looked up at Link. Their close proximity caused the boy to blush, and he backed up a step. Zelda didn't notice. "It was very nice to meet you, Link."

"Aw, are you leaving?" came Blessy's voice from the kitchen doorway. She walked over to the two. "Well, I suppose you should get back to the castle. The other cooks might miss you," she said. She hugged Zelda. "Bye now. You can keep the dress, it's too small for me now."

Zelda blushed, forgetting she was still wearing the woman's orange dress. "Thank-you." She made her way to the doorway and gave a curtsey to the two standing by the window. "Bye!" And she was gone.

Link watched her as she passed by the window and walked up the street. Blessy noticed this and giggled. "Come, tell me your real feelings. Isn't she beautiful? Skin like a porcelain doll!"

Link's face turned red, but he looked away so his mother wouldn't see. "You should get back to the kitchen, Mom," he said. "Now that the rain's let up, we'll get some customers."

Blessy smiled and said no more, turning to go to the kitchen. But she suddenly stopped and turned around. "Oh, Link, you remember that the Summer Festival is next month, right? Who were you planning on asking to that?" she asked. The Summer Festival was a three-day event where the village celebrated the arrival of summer. There were parades and dances, and each day had a separate activity. On the 3rd night, it was custom for the young men to ask the ladies to the Stargazing Dance.

Link shrugged. "Malon, I suppose. She's had her heart set on it since last year."

Blessy nodded with a smile. "She's a pretty one too. I wonder if your kids will have her red hair, or your blonde?"

"Mom!" Link exclaimed, blushing madly.

Blessy laughed heartily. After a moment, her laughter subsided and her countenance soon grew serious again. "There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about, though, sweetie. About the Summer Festival. You know, at your age, it's the time when..."

The front door swung open, and a familiar purple-haired man stepped in. "Hullo, Blessy," he said. "Might I get a bag of cakes? Anju is craving them."

"Yes, Kafei," Blessy said, sighing and apparently irritated at being interrupted. She turned and strode into the kitchen to fetch the dainties. Kafei turned and gave a nod of acknowledgement to Link, who nodded also.

--------------------

To Be Continued...

--------------------

_Yay! I hope you're enjoying this so far The Summer Festival will be explained further in future chapters, so you don't need to understand it to much yet._

1 In the original version of this fic, Link had a younger brother named Lunar. I've changed it to his younger sister, Aryll, from Wind Waker. Why? Because I prefer real characters to made-up ones. Haha! I'm also going to include various other characters (such as Kafei, at the end of this chapter). There will be characters from a lot of different Zelda games. Blessy and Madame Loraine are the only original characters so far (besides the King and Queen, but they are kind of a given right? Princesses need parents... I don't know), but there will be a few more in later chapters.

Next Chapter: The Craving


	4. Part One: Summer Festival: The Craving

**Impossible Love**

_Wahgaghahgahaaa! It's been so long! I'm sorry, I'm such a horrible procrastinator. I haven't abandoned this though, I'm just very slow. ; ;_

--------------------

Part One: Summer Festival  
The Craving

--------------------

Upon arriving back at the castle walls, Zelda was puzzled by how she was going to get back onto the royal property (since the trellis was only on the inside). But she soon found a tall tree whose branches hung over the wall, and she shimmied her way upwards and hopped over. When she was a little girl, she often climbed trees-- much to the chagrin of Madame Loraine. She hadn't done it lately, but it was fairly simple.

Now she was in her room, door closed, and sprawled on her bed. What a day! She hadn't really accomplished her task: sneak out and spend a day as a commoner; but she was definitely satisfied. Granted, she wasn't conscious for the majority of the adventure, but it was still exciting. She reached a hand up and touched the tender spot on her head. The pain had subsided, but she was sure she'd have a horrid headache tomorrow.

She sat up on her bed, and walked to her wardrobe. She slipped off her orange dress and placed it inside. She pulled out a more 'princess-like' dress. The last thing she wanted was to raise suspicions with Blessy's outfit. If anybody found out what she'd done, she'd be in trouble for sure.

The golden haired princess went to open her window. Whenever it was nice out, she liked the windows open. Her room would often get stuffy, and the fresh air was nice. She stood a moment, enjoying the sunshine. The clouds had departed, and the sun was bright and warm. The balmy breeze soothed her and made her groggy. Despite having spent most of the day in bed, it wasn't a very revitalizing rest (no doubt thanks to the knot on her head).

She didn't know for certain how long she was unconscious (Blessy wasn't very helpful in that regard), but Zelda knew it was probably only mid-afternoon. Five o'clock at the latest. She didn't care, however, and walked over to her bed. She snuggled into the covers and listened to the familiar sounds of birds wafting through her window.

She was in a deep sleep in a matter of minutes, not to awaken until early the next morning.

--------------------

The Next Day...

--------------------

"Wake up! Wake up! It's time to wake up!"

_Bounce, bounce, thud!_

Link groaned, squinting one eye open to see his little sister, Aryll, sitting on top of him and yanking the covers away from his face. The bright light invading his senses was hardly better than the little girl pouncing on him.

"Good morning, sunshine!" the miniature blonde said with a clap. "You slept in!"

"Arylllllllll!" Link exclaimed, swatting his hand at the girl. "Let me sleep, I've got the day off." He grabbed his pillow and covered his face.

"No, no, no!" Aryll grabbed the pillow and tried tearing it away from her brother. A tug-of-war match ensued. "I want to play!"

"Let go, Aryll! By Din, let me sleep! Goddesses!"

All at once the little canary let go of the pillow and covered her mouth with her hands. "Oooh! You said a bad oath! I'm telling mom!" She jumped off the bed, taking Link's blanket with her. "Mooooom!" she shouted, running into the hallway.

"Aryll! I did not!" Link yelled after her, fumbling out of bed and landing sprawled onto the floor. "I was—I was praying! Aryll! Urrrgh!" He sighed heavily, laying for a moment on the hardwood floors. There was no getting back to bed now.

Scarcely fifteen minutes later, Link was trudging down the Tavern stairs, washed and dressed for the new day.

"Good morning, Link," Blessy said with a smirk from her position behind the counter. "You have a fight with your sister?"

"She started it," Link stated, scrunching his nose up at Aryll, sitting on a padded stool.

"Did not!" Aryll yawped, sticking her tongue out. But a sharp glance from Blessy made the tongue retreat back inside her mouth.

"Play nice, children," Blessy reprimanded, aiming the 'children' remark at her oldest. "Or I might just have to take back your day off."

"Sorry, mum," both son and daughter sighed simultaneously.

Suddenly, Aryll's sky blue eyes brightened and she swiveled in the stool to face Link. "Ohh, I forgot! Malon came in earlier and wants to seeeeee you!" She made multiple kissing noises. Blessy giggled, and Link's face took on a darker hue.

"Deary, Malon is such a sweet girl," Blessy remarked, leaning her elbows on the bar. "I think she's taken a fancy to you, Link."

Aryll laughed in delight, beginning a familiar rhyme. "Link and Malon, sitting in a tree!"

"It's nothing big," Link told his mom, tuning out his sister's mischief. "We're just comfortable around each other." Blessy just smiled knowingly. There was a pause, with only Aryll's off-tune singing to fill the air. "Well..." Link began. "I guess I'll go now." He smiled nervously and headed out of the Tavern before any more teasing could commence. Sometimes his family could be so irritating!

He took a deep breath of the fresh air before heading down the cobblestone path. Other villagers were milling about, but most were out in the fields, tending to the crops. The harvest was soon. Link crossed the large town square, moving in the direction of the blacksmith's shop. Talon was outside, fixing the wooden sign out front.

"Hey-ho!" Talon declared, catching sight of Link. "How are you, young man?"

"I'm well, thanks. And you?"

"Never better," Talon smiled. "Malon's inside." Link thanked the man and made his way into the shop where he founded the redhead sitting in a chair by the forge. Once she saw Link, she stood up with a big smile.

"Hi, Link," she said happily. She brushed her strawberry locks away from her face and extended her hand to him.

"Hey," he replied, shaking her hand . "Aryll said you wanted to see me?"

Malon blushed, focusing her periwinkle eyes on the floor in front of her. "Oh, it's nothing really, we just haven't seen each other in a while so I wanted to catch up. If you're busy, it's fine—"

"No, I'm free all day," Link reassured her. "I'd love to chat."

Malon smiled brightly, looking up at him. "Okay!" She smoothed out her crème dress. "Let's go for a walk." Link smiled, and the two made their way into the sunshine.

--------------------

Zelda looked out the window longingly. She was, at the moment, cooped up in a large room with various other ladies. _Embroidering._ The worst part of the day, next to etiquette lessons. She would so often get her yarn knotted or tangled because her mind would wander. The monotonous in and out motions of the needle were enough to put her to sleep! When would she ever actually use embroidery, anyway? Zelda didn't seen anything important about it. It was boring to do and it was boring to look at.

"Ouch!" she jumped, pulling her hand to her face. "Pricked myself again." She stuck her injured finger into her mouth. She got looks from the servant girls, but nobody said anything until Madame Loraine looked up from her embroidered kitchen towels.

"Princess! Stop sucking on your finger," she hissed.

Zelda immediately pulled the finger from her mouth, and a servant moved to wrap the afflicted appendage. It was scarcely in need of any medical attention, but Zelda was used to the overreactions (such as bandaging non-bleeding wounds, and entire days of bed rest for mere coughs).

Zelda wiggled in her chair as she stared at her unfinished table napkin. The giant white unembroidered area stared back at her menacingly. There was no way she'd get this done. She glanced around the room at the other ladies' half-finished and some nearly completed tapestries. Their excellence in the art only made her feel inadequate, and the inadequacy made her itch for some fresh air. But of course, she wouldn't have any free time until later in the day.

Earlier this morning, she had had an alarming conversation with Madame Loraine.

"Princess Zelda," the robust woman had started at 7am, when Zelda awoke. "I hear that you skipped your Conversation class yesterday." She stared at her evenly. "When I told you Etiquette lessons were canceled, I didn't mean that _all_ your lessons would be. _What is your excuse?_"

Zelda stared at her with wide eyes. "I'm sorry, Madame," she had stuttered back. "Something came up and I just couldn't make it."

"Something came up?" Madame stared at the honey-haired girl suspiciously. "I find it hard to imagine. I heard a servant say you were found asleep in your room when you were also absent for dinner."

Zelda was relieved by this, and grabbed onto the story. "Yes, yes, I was sleeping! All day. Horrid headache, you see. Maybe it's because I was outside to see Mom and Dad off?"

Madame Loraine had seemed satisfied with this answer at the time, and went into a long discussion on how that was exactly why she shouldn't spend long periods of time outdoors when the weather was dreary (although the correlation between the weather and headaches was lost on Zelda).

Zelda glanced up at Madame Loraine from across the room. She'd have to be more careful next time—not be gone for so long and not cast suspicions. Yesterday was Saturday, and she didn't have too many afternoon obligations, but every day at 2pm was her conversation lesson. She should make sure not to miss it again. Every day had a slightly different schedule (such as today, Sunday, was the only day with a Religion class at 7pm), and she would have to time everything right the next time she snuck out.

_'Wait...'_ Zelda thought. _'What am I thinking about? Will there be a next time?'_ She hadn't thought about it. At first she had only planned on spending the one day away. But now...for some reason, she was impatient to get out again. _'I wonder why that is?'_ She glanced out the window, past the castle garden.

Madame Loraine looked up in time to catch Zelda efficiently ignoring her needlework. "Princess Zelda," she began in a warning tone.

Zelda turned to look Madame Loraine square in the eye and ask, "When will mom and dad be back from Polis?"

Madame Loraine hesitated, then sighed, focusing her attention back on the in and out motions of her needle. "Princess, the trip to Polis will take a few days, and the negotiations may take even longer. I expect them to be gone for at least a week." She glanced up. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason," Zelda said quietly, looking down and attempting to further her stitching. But already in her mind she was calculating for how much longer she would be able to successfully sneak out. She donned an impish smirk and hummed lightly as she worked until the embroidery time was over.

--------------------

"I love flowers," Malon said dreamily, looking out across the landscape. She and Link were sitting in the grass, and the flower patches on the hills looked like paint splashed across a green canvas. "Spring is my favorite season."

"It is pretty," Link commented, glancing at the redhead sitting beside him. "It's getting hotter, though. Summer's just around the corner."

Malon sighed. "Yes, I know." She looked at Link with a blank expression. "I hope it's not too hot. I get sweaty enough helping Dad and Ingo at the forge." She took a deep breath, then lay down staring up at the cloudless sky. Link remained sitting up, playing with the grass. "I'm excited for summer to start, though," Malon continued slowly. She studied Link. "Are you?"

The blonde glanced back at her. "Yes." He paused a moment, then lay down beside her, gazing up at the endless blue. "Yes, I am."

Malon fiddled with the hem of her dress. "Because, that means the Summer Festival will start soon," she hinted. "I want to go to the Stargazing Dance this year. Wouldn't it be fun?"

Link hesitated. He knew Malon was looking forward to it, and he had planned on asking her to it. But...something held him back. Perhaps the timing wasn't right. "It would be fun, wouldn't it?" he echoed. There was a break in conversation, then Malon turned on her side to face Link. He tensed a bit, feeling her breath on his cheek, but he didn't move. Just continually stared at the sky.

"Yes..." Malon edged. Link knew they could play this game forever, Malon continually hinting at the dance, and him twisting his way around the issue. He really did plan on asking her, but just not yet. He closed his eyes, and pretended to relax, enjoying the sunshine.

"It's a beautiful day," he murmured, signaling the end of that conversation and the beginning of another. "I'm glad the rain's passed."

The strawberry-haired maiden rolled back onto her side, and stretched her arms up above her head. "Yeah, it was very gloomy the past two days," she commented, essentially giving up the Stargazing Dance for the day. "And yesterday's storm was terrible."

Link opened his eyes. "The storm..." He turned his head to view the blacksmith daughter's profile. "I met a girl in the storm yesterday."

Malon peered at him nervously. "Oh?" She sat up, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Yeah," Link went on. "I was just watching the rain through the Tavern window, and I saw a girl on the street. She fell, so I ran out to bring her in from the storm..." He sat up as well, leaning on his hands positioned behind him. "She was unconscious, so we took care of her until she woke up..." He trailed off.

"Was she pretty?" Malon asked, eyeing Link. Her tone was expressionless.

Link shifted and smiled lightly at her. He wanted to say, 'Yes, she was beautiful!', but he couldn't do that to Malon. The girl was insecure as it was, and he knew she had an infatuation with him. And to be honest, he liked her too. He didn't even know why he had brought up the subject. The golden haired stranger was fascinating, but Malon had always been there for him.

"You're the pretty one," Link assured Malon. He smiled warmly and brushed his lips against her forehead. Malon's cheeks turned pink, and she looked down at her lap with a grin. "Now, come on," he said, standing up and extending his hand to her. "It's nearly lunchtime. I could smell my mom's Creamy Wild Rice soup cooking this morning. I'm sure it's ready by now, do you want to come over and have a bowl?"

"Oh, please and thank you," Malon said with a smile, taking his hand and standing up. She was going to let go once she got up, but Link held her hand firm, causing her cheeks to gain the deep pink color again. The pair walked hand in hand back into town. They made their way back to the Tavern, already beginning to fill up with the lunch crowd. Blessy saw them and waved cheerily. The two grabbed a corner table and sat down, while Blessy came and placed two glasses of water before them.

"Hi, you two," she bubbled. "What have you been up to?"

"We talked," Malon said plainly, but with a polite smile. "Link said you made some of your Creamy Wild Rice soup."

"He's right," Blessy replied. "Two bowls?"

"Yes, mom, thank you," Link stated. Blessy nodded and winked at him before heading off to the kitchen to retrieve the two orders of the soup. She came back within minutes and the two youths ate the hearty lunch. They talked about nothing in particular until Malon glanced out the window. From her vantage point, she could see straight to the clock tower in the town square.

"Oh! It's one o'clock already," she said. "I've got to go, Link. Tell Aryll I said hi." She smiled, then stood up to leave.

"I'll see you later," Link told her, and she nodded before hurrying back to the smithy. Now alone, Link looked down at his empty bowl. He sat in thought for a moment, until a male voice spoke.

"This seat taken?"

Link looked up to see Kafei grinning back at him. "No, go ahead," he said. Kafei nodded and sat down across the table from Link.

"I noticed you were with Malon," Kafei started. Link just nodded. "You two getting cozier?"

Link sighed, then shrugged. "I was trying to be more affectionate today. Malon's a sweet girl."

Kafei nodded slowly. "She is...but it seems like something's bugging you. Want to talk?" He smiled. "Maybe I can help out. I'm quite happy now that I've settled down with Anju. Though she has been a bit moody lately..." He paused, then shrugged.

Link hesitated, tracing the rim of his empty bowl with his finger. "I...just felt guilty. That's why I tried being more sweet to her today. But now I'm feeling guilty all over again, because isn't that a bad reason to be close to a girl?"

Kafei frowned. "Wait, back up. Why were you feeling guilty?"

Link pursed his lips, leaning back in his chair. "I suppose just because I know she likes me so much. But I keep thinking about Zelda—"

"What, Queen Zelda?" Kafei raised an eyebrow.

The blonde shook his head. "No, no, a royal cook. I saw her yesterday in the rain..." He waved his hand. "Long story, but anyways, she was intriguing. And she's been in my thoughts since then, and I don't even know why. I barely know her, and I'm much closer to Malon... I just feel bad."

Kafei snorted. "That's not a good reason to feel bad. So you like another girl!" He placed his hand over his chest. "The heart's a fickle thing, Link. Crushes come and go, but friendships should last you forever. Don't get caught up in trying to prove your love for Malon if your eyes lay elsewhere... Just nurse your friendship, and see how it develops." He looked solemn. "The last thing you need is to break that girl's heart by building up her hopes for nothing."

Link nodded slowly. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Kafei."

The violet-haired male smiled. "No problem!"

--------------------

To Be Continued...

--------------------

_Ta-da! This chapter didn't really take 8 months to write. It just took me 8 months to sit down and write it. Like, 3 days to write it. TT guhhhh. Oh well._

Next Chapter: The Royal Cook


End file.
